College Space Use Policy

Guidelines for the Allocation and Use of Space for Public Events at Hostos Community College of The City University of New York

These guidelines are published by Hostos Community College to assist members of the College community and the public at large to plan and hold public events on College property in a safe and financially responsible manner.

These guidelines are subject to change, without notice, by the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York or the President of the College.

Statutory Compliance
All public events on College premises must not contradict the mission of the College and must be in compliance with City University policies and regulations and federal, state and municipal laws and ordinances.

Authorization and Responsibility
All public events on College premises must be authorized by a designated officer of the College who takes responsibility for the safety and financial consequences of a given event. Following are the officers who grant authorization for events:

  • The Vice President for Student Development (or designee) and faculty advisor for events sponsored by student organizations.
  • The Vice President for Faculty or Vice President for Administration (or designees) for events sponsored by academic departments or administrative offices.
  • The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture for events in the theaters sponsored by external producers and organizations.
  • The College Conference Planning Office for conferences sponsored by external sponsors involving the use of a theater and other spaces.

This process is designed to insure that all events being planned are legitimate, financially feasible and in keeping with pertinent laws, regulations and the spirit of a free academy. Prior authorization by one of the above mentioned individuals is the first step in the space request process; it does not constitute confirmation of the space request.

Process
Space request forms are issued only by the above mentioned officers of the College. The issuance and initial signing of a space request form by the appropriate dean (or designee); the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture or the College Conference Planning Office indicates preliminary authorization of the event. The event sponsor must then meet with the College Space Coordinator to complete the form and determine the costs of production.

The appropriate dean (or designee) and faculty advisor (for student organizations) must then sign off on the completed form, thereby assuming responsibility for the costs of the event and the safety of attendees and College property. The space request is not approved until these signatures are obtained.

External users must attach the following to their space requests:

  • A letter written on the organization's letterhead requesting the space. The letter must be signed by an individual authorized to take financial and legal responsibility for the event, e.g., the organization's president, director or board chairperson. (If the space request is being made by an individual other than those mentioned above, the letter must name that person as the organization's authorized representative.)
  • A copy of the organization's certificate of incorporation.
  • A certificate of insurance for $1 million indemnifying Hostos Community College, the City University, their officers and the Board of Trustees. (The College reserves the right to increase the insurance coverage requirement.)

Cancellation Policy
Hostos Community College and/or The City University of New York reserve the right to cancel an event before or during that event if these guidelines are not followed or/if College and/or University authorities deem the event to threaten the safety of attendees or College property.

Maximum and Minimum Occupancy Limits
All places of public assembly on the Hostos campus have been assigned occupancy limits by the New York City Fire Department. These limits have the force of law, and cannot be negotiated. Under no circumstances will these limits be exceeded. (In the College theaters, these limits prohibit standing-room audiences.) The limits for all places of public assembly are indicated on the space request forms.

It is crucial that the appropriate space be assigned to an event. Reserving a large space for a modest event is wasteful and diminishes the impact of the event. Each place of public assembly on the Hostos campus has been assigned a minimum occupancy limit. When requesting a space, each event sponsor should be able to show compelling evidence that projected attendance warrants the reservation of that space. The College Space Coordinator will assist all prospective users in this regard.

Box Office Services
Unless otherwise specified, admission to events in the College's theaters is by ticket only. Events outside the theaters may also require admission by ticket. Whether an event is held in a theater or any other place of public assembly, the only authorized agent for the printing, issue and sale of admission tickets is the Hostos Box Office. Under no circumstances, will the number of tickets for an event exceed the occupancy limit for the space in which the event is being held. A final box office report will be furnished after each event. Final reconciliation of box office receipts may take up to ten working days to complete. Credit card receipts will not be paid out to the sponsor until they are remitted to the Box Office by the credit card company (in some cases, up to 30 days after the event). Box office receipts may be withheld from the event sponsor in the case of damages or default. There is a fee for box office services, which will be quoted by the Campus Space Coordinator.

Building Hours
During the fall and spring semesters, College facilities are open as follows:

Monday - Friday

7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Saturday

8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Sunday

Closed

Any events taking place during off-hours must be approved by an appropriate Dean and the Office of Campus Safety. Such events will incur additional costs, e.g. for janitorial, engineering and security services.

Assignable Costs
There are different kinds of costs, which may be incurred when producing an event. The four principal factors determining these costs are 1) the space requested; 2) the nature of the event; 3) the technical complexity of the event; and 4) the time of the event. Events requiring extensive technical support and additional security in the larger spaces and during off-hours are inherently expensive; modest events held during regular business hours are less costly. Following is a partial list of types of costs incurred by users:

Cost item

Internal User

External User

Rental fee

None

As per fee schedule

Insurance

None

$1 million liability (min.)

Stagehands

As per production

As per production

Ushers

As per venue

As per venue

Sound systems

As per production

As per production

Special equipment

As per production

As per production

Janitorial, engineering

Depending on time

Depending on time

Security

Depending on time &
nature of event

Depending on time &
nature of event


Insurance
All non-college users of the theaters are required to purchase liability insurance coverage of $1 million. The insurance must indemnify the College, the City University, the Hostos Community College Advisory Council and all officers thereof. The College reserves the right to increase the insurance coverage requirement.

Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on campus, unless approved in writing by the College President or designee. If approved, alcoholic beverages will be limited to wine and beer. If alcoholic beverages are sold, the seller must possess a valid New York State liquor license, a copy of which must accompany the space request form. The serving of alcoholic beverages can be terminated at any time at the discretion of the College Administration or the Office of Campus Safety.

Food Services
All food and beverages served at public events in the College cafeteria must be provided exclusively by the food services concession. Public events outside the cafeteria may be catered by external caterers. However, for purposes of convenience and quality assurance, the cafeteria concession is recommended for all events. External caterers must be licensed by the New York City Health Department. Event sponsors using external caterers must furnish a copy of the license with the space request.

Security Force
All security functions on the Hostos campus are performed exclusively by City University public safety personnel. No private security personnel, such as bodyguards or escorts acting in a security capacity, shall perform any security functions on College property. This policy does not apply to sworn law-enforcement officers representing the federal, state or municipal governments, nor does it apply to a limited number of security personnel accompanying representatives of foreign states. These law-enforcement officers should coordinate their efforts with the Hostos Office of Campus Safety.

Advertising and Publicity
Internal advertising of student-sponsored events must be approved by the Student Activities Office. External advertising by all users by direct mail or through publicity outlets must be approved by the Office of Public Relations. The latter includes, but is not limited to, press releases, television and radio advertisements, newspaper and other print advertisements, posters, flyers and handbills.
The posting of publicity materials by all users on College premises is strictly limited to bulletin boards. Detailed guidelines for the posting of publicity materials are on file in the Student Activities Office.

Timeliness of Request
Space requests are honored on a first-come, first-served basis. All requests, however, must be submitted on a timely basis. Last-minute requests will not be honored. Following are limits for the minimum amount of time between space request approval and the event. Event sponsors should factor in at least one week for a request to be processed.

Space

Time limit

Main Theater

30 days

Repertory Theater

30 days

"C" Cafeteria

14 days

"C" Atrium

14 days

"A" Atrium

14 days

C390

7 days

C391

7 days

"B" Cafeteria

7 days

Multi-purpose Room

7 days

Note: These limits are based on normal use of these facilities. Unusual productions involving special arrangements and set-ups may require more time. The limits are subject to change at any time by the College Space Coordinator.

Table Permits
All users of campus facilities are permitted to set up tables in the "C" and "A" Atriums and the Grand Concourse pedestrian bridge to distribute information and, in some cases, sell food and merchandise. The number of tables is limited to 10 in the "C" Atrium, 10 in the ‘A' Atrium and 12 on the pedestrian bridge. At no time shall tables be placed in front of theater doors, in front of the box office during business hours, or in such a way as to block emergency exits.

All food vendors must have a permit from the New York City Department of Health. Student organizations are permitted to sell baked goods to raise funds for their activities. Sales are strictly limited to bake goods, and must be supervised by club advisors according to guidelines issued by the Office of Student Activities.

Distributors of information, such as non-profit organizations providing public services or prospective employers recruiting Hostos students, are permitted to set up tables free of charge.

For-profit vendors selling crafts, books and recordings related to a student or faculty/staff event are permitted to set up tables during the event for a charge of $50 per table. Vendors of books and audio and video recordings must sign an affidavit assuring the College that these goods are not counterfeit and do not violate any copyright laws.

On the rare occasions in which for-profit vendors set up tables, those vendors will be charged a fee of $100. For-profit entities distributing information only will be charged $75.

The Hostos Arts Center charges a standard "boutique fee" of 10 percent of gross sales for tables set up during performances in the theaters. Sales are limited to materials, such as recordings, apparel and curios, related to the performances. Vendors must sign an affidavit assuring the Center that these goods are not counterfeit and do not violate any copyright laws.

Table permits are available from the College Space Coordinator. They are issued on a first come, first-served basis, and must be approved at least two working days in advance of the sale. Vendors may not begin to set up tables before 9:00 a.m. and must have their tables cleared by 9:30 p.m.

Interpretation and Further Information
The College Space Coordinator can provide further information and assist event sponsors with the interpretation of these guidelines. The number for the College Space Coordinator is (718)518 – 4447.